Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
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fox swaps beware!!!!

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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 04:30 PM
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Default fox swaps beware!!!!

im mkinda pissed. im doing my fox as a daily driver, i want to drive it year round so i want to at least have heat(maybe a/c down the road).

blower motor will not fit in the car with the ecu in the kickpanel. its just not possible. the vinnie guy put a pic of the ecu in the kickpanel but i pmed him and he wont respond cuz his woudlnt fit either.

so im just trying to let other guys know if you wnat to mount the ecu inside you will NOT be able to have heat. i asked tons of people and even posted questions on here and no one could answer it or they would make stuff up. so just be forwarned.
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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 05:23 PM
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Why not find a grommet that's big enough and cut a hole in the firewall hiding it in the dash?

--JMarsa
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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by jmarsa
Why not find a grommet that's big enough and cut a hole in the firewall hiding it in the dash?

--JMarsa


not trying to sound like a jerk.......but thats what im talking about. people that have not tried come up with ideas (not bad ideas mind you) that simply cant work because there is NO room anywhere behind the dash while still retaing heat. it just made me mad because this seemed like something that should be a common pitfall that everyone should know.

if i had know this, i probably would not have began this swap. im not saying a harness cant be lengthened to put it under the hood or a high dollar harness cant be used. for me this is a beater that i just wanted to have fun with and it has turned into a horror story. i'm just saying i wouil have done a diff platform or something.

in the nature of this site i am just trying to share some info that i think is important.
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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 09:05 PM
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I think Im going to mount the ECU in the passenger side fenderwell....

Many GM vehicles among other brands have their ECUs mounted in/near the engine bay instead of inside the car....
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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by leonpiper69
not trying to sound like a jerk.......but thats what im talking about. people that have not tried come up with ideas (not bad ideas mind you) that simply cant work because there is NO room anywhere behind the dash while still retaing heat. it just made me mad because this seemed like something that should be a common pitfall that everyone should know.

if i had know this, i probably would not have began this swap. im not saying a harness cant be lengthened to put it under the hood or a high dollar harness cant be used. for me this is a beater that i just wanted to have fun with and it has turned into a horror story. i'm just saying i wouil have done a diff platform or something.

in the nature of this site i am just trying to share some info that i think is important.
No offense taken.

--JMarsa
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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 11:19 PM
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i will post pictures of my setup. i did mine behind the dash. infact i just need to find a way to get the harness inside. im out of town till sunday night so ill post pics then. here are some pics of where it was mounted.

here is where it was mounted before my turbos...

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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 11:55 PM
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i did a mount under the hood that was similar to that but mine was upside down compared toyours. when i layed it out i thought the wires would reach but i didnt check the orientation of the plugs so it would not reach but flipped over like yours (wich i must say is inginous and i never would have thought to try that) would make sense as to how it would reach. and where did you get hat holder? this is what mine looked like.

Attached Thumbnails fox swaps beware!!!!-cpu.jpg  
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 12:24 AM
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blower motor will not fit in the car with the ecu in the kickpanel. its just not possible.
I don't know what to tell you bud...I got mine to fit. You will have to shift the whole heater box over about 1" and notch out the holes for the heater core and A/C lines in the firewall a little bit,Maybe 1/4" .Trust me, it's a pita, but well worth it.

I am in Memphis right now attending the LSX shootout. When I get back home I'll post a few pics of mine.
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 12:28 AM
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why not just leave it in the engine bay like factory ls1 cars?
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 12:49 AM
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First, If you happen to be running a turbo, in some shape or form it's going to be in the way. Second,(please no one take offense to this)It looks like monkey ***** when mounted under hood. When mounted in an F-body it hidden pretty well.
You can run it through the factory 5.0 or 4 cyl. grommet on the firewall. It is more work, but well worth it in the long run.
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 12:56 AM
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I will be possibly tackling this, this weekend. Sounds like its something I am not going to look forward too! I will post up where I end up putting it.

Last edited by Slow5.0.; Oct 11, 2008 at 01:54 AM.
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 12:59 AM
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It's not fun......
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 01:31 AM
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why not in the cowl area? just remove the plastic grill and take a peek in there, its pretty big!
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 02:13 AM
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^^ Thanks for the idea.. I will look into that. I am not using wipers anyway. There is an access point on the drivers side where the wiper motor used to be.
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 05:40 AM
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we put an injector driver and relays in there with tons of room to spare! so a pcm shouldn't be an issue i'm guessing.
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 07:25 AM
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I mounted the ecu in the passenger fender well right where the factory harness went through on one of my swaps. As long as you are using the inner fenders you should not have any issues. The ecu mount on adam's car was from a mid 90's f-body.

Jamie
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by leonpiper69
if i had know this, i probably would not have began this swap. im not saying a harness cant be lengthened to put it under the hood or a high dollar harness cant be used. for me this is a beater that i just wanted to have fun with and it has turned into a horror story. i'm just saying i wouil have done a diff platform or something.
you're putting a chevy motor in a ford and the pcm mounting needs some creativity and that defines "horror story" to you?

come on bro, have a couple cold ones, look at it again, and figure something out.
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 10:09 AM
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or do what i did ; hide it under the pass. footwell carpet ( and thats coming from a guy who has nothing behind his dash )
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 01:02 PM
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mine is behind my radio ontop of the trans tunnel... and just because somebody doesnt respond to a PM doesnt mean what they posted(and showed pictures of) about their build isnt true...
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Old Oct 11, 2008 | 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by lt4malibu
mine is behind my radio ontop of the trans tunnel... and just because somebody doesnt respond to a PM doesnt mean what they posted(and showed pictures of) about their build isnt true...

that may possibly be true. but i read your thread (and correct me if im wrong) but on the pic you posted of where you mounted it, you said you tossed the heat/ac?

so i presumed it would not fit with the heating components in place.

and lt4malibu you thread helped me alot and i think you even shared some diagrams with me, so i know you know your stuff.


im just going to have to chop up my blower case and fiberglass it back together so it fits.

my whole point for posting this thread was that it really "grinds my gears" as peter would say, that this subject seemd like something that would be a common problem and more info would be out there, its just nice to know what your getting into. there is a first gen stickey covering pretty much everything you could run into, and it seems like everyone is just saying drop a k-member in and some headers and your done.

when i did my 68 camaro it was fun. when i did an ls swap in a 98 sanoma, it was fun. i just didint sign up for a headache when i thought this one would be fun too.
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